[coocheg]

I have a 2007 Focus SE 2.0L standard with 135,000 miles that up until this afternoon starts and runs with no misfires, sputtering etc. Ran this morning no problem, but now it won't start.

Battery is new, tested with a meter and working fine.

When you remove the oil cap you can see that the crankshaft is turning so its not the starter.

You can hear the fuel pump turn on, so it seems to be getting fuel.

Its my girlfriends car and she's never changed the plugs and wires, although if it was a plug, wire, or coilpack you'd think it would run crappy or misfire rather than just suddenly stop. I get no sputtering, nothing.

My next move is to pull a plug and test for a spark, but what else should I look for? Anything that needs maintenance apart from the plugs and wires that would suddenly make it not get spark suddenly?

In searching around it seems that the crankshaft position sensor would cause this. Where is it? Behind the serpentine belt?

It hasn't had the check engine light so I don't think I can get any trouble code off it because it won't start. Is there any way to read codes off a Focus that won't start?

 

[BC_ZX3]

When you remove the oil cap you can see that the crankshaft is turning so its not the starter.

Camshafts, not crank, viewed through the valve cover oil filler cap. Starter is turning engine over at "normal" speed, right? Not slowly or intermittently?

You can hear the fuel pump turn on, so it seems to be getting fuel.

That's just a crude, preliminary test. Pull a spark plug and see if it's wet. That would also indicate fuel OK but no spark.

My next move is to pull a plug and test for a spark, but what else should I look for?

As you've suggested, you'd have to have four simultaneous coil on plug unit failures which is very improbable. Test for spark to confirm. If you lack spark at all four units, check all the other components in the primary ignition circuit, including wiring. Crank position sensor on a Duratec is behind the front timing cover and difficult to service. It also fails rarely, I'm told. I'd exhaust other possibilities first.
Anti theft system light behaving normally? All fuses OK? Eliminate the simplest possible causes first.

It hasn't had the check engine light so I don't think I can get any trouble code off it because it won't start. Is there any way to read codes off a Focus that won't start?

The car does not have to be running to pull OBD II codes. Only the ignition needs to be on. Scan for pending codes.

 

[coocheg]

So this morning my neighbor stopped by when I was messing with it and he said Fords have a fuel line shutoff inside on the passenger side. He checked it and said it was popped, but we tried to start it with no luck.

After I got home tonight I tried it again and though it didn't start the first time, the second time I gave it some gas and it eventually started. Now it starts normally with no gas.

So if it wasn't getting gas that could have been the entire issue. After the switch was reset would it have taken awhile just to get fuel back into the pistons? Could I still have an electric issue somewhere? It wasn't wet or cold when it wasn't starting.

Also, my girlfriend ran it really low on gas, not enough that it wouldn't have started, like 1/8 of a tank. Could running it low have tripped the fuel line shutoff? From what my neighbor said its for when you get hit from behind as a safety feature. What could have tripped it?

Anyway it drove to the gas station and back starting up as usual and if it starts again no problem in the cold tomorrow morning I'll be really glad its not a real problem. Thanks for the help!

 

[BC_ZX3]

You mentoned in your first post you could hear the fuel pump prime. If the fuel cut off inertia switch was triggered this wouldn't be possible. As your neighbour stated the function of the switch is to prevent uncontrolled fuel spillage during an accident; howver, once you reset the switch, fuel delivery (and starting) should have been immediate (after waiting maybe five to ten seconds for priming.)

Running your fuel tank consistently low will ultimately damage the pump over time as the pump relies on the fuel for cooling. It also concentrates any sediment in the tank in the small amount of remaining fuel. Running the tank low will not trip the fuel shutoff.

Your fuel pump may be on its way out and starting to operate intermittently. Time will tell. I think resetting the fuel shut off may have be a red herring and not the true cause. My $0.02

btw, the fuel pump must not only run but generate sufficient pressure. The Focus needs 40psi +/- A failing pump may generate insufficient pressure. Only way to tell for sure would be to measure fuel pressure during the next no-start condition, if there is one.